Buildings and landscape in Ilmeanu

     Our welcome package had some almost unbelievably beautiful photos of buildings in Ilmenau.  A trip into the city proved the photos accurate or understated.  The city center is cobblestoned, incredibly clean and difficult on which to walk.  But each side of the street is lined with picture-book buildings.

Several had plaques to indicate that Goethe had lived there.

 Each building had a shop that dealt with one theme, ie ladies accessories.  One shop sold me an Ilmenau hatpin.  (Vital purchase for me.)  There were several bakeries from one my traveling companion and I purchased and shared a strawberry sweet roll.  It was unlike anything we had eaten before and we enjoyed the experience as much as the pastry.

St Jacob's Church is built on t´he site of a 15th century church.  It has been reconstructed after several fires and holds some incredible baroque artwork.

In the middle of town is this statue that is the town symbol.  These are goats and these read "here dances the goat with his wife.  The other sides say, " in Ilmenau the sky is blue.

And boy when it is blue, it is remarkably blue.  Somewhere I read that it sparkles.  I know that it makes me feel sparkly.